iICC on Bayo Onanuga
Bayo Onanuga Photo Credit: Daily Post

ICC Accepts Ethnic Hate Incitement Petition Against Onanuga, Others

1 year ago
4 mins read

The petition written by Professor Gideon Christian to the  International Criminal Court (ICC) accusing President-elect Bola Tinubu’s  Media Director,  Bayo Onanuga, of inciting ethnic hate has been  formally  acknowledged on Monday.

The ICC, however, says the acknowledgment does not mean that an investigation has been opened or that any action has been taken, but that the Court will consider the communication as appropriate.

Prof. Gideon Christian’s petition wants the ICC to investigate election and post-election violence in Nigeria as well as the alleged incitement to ethnic hate against Onanuga and others before, during and after the governorship election in Lagos.

The ICC’s acknowledgment letter dated March 27, 2023, with reference number OTP-CR-109/23, was signed by the Head of Information & Evidence Unit, Office of The Prosecutor, Mark P. Dillon, according to Thisday report.

The acknowledgement letter reads:  “The Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court acknowledges receipt of your documents/letter.

“This communication has been duly entered in the Communications Register of the Office. We will give consideration to this communication, as appropriate, in accordance with the provisions of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

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“Please note this acknowledgement letter does not mean an investigation has been opened, or that an investigation will be opened by the Office of the Prosecutor. As soon as a decision is reached, we will inform you, in writing, and provide you with reasons for this decision.”

Professor Christian, the petitioner, in his complaint titled: “Request to Investigate the Election and Post-Election Violence in Nigeria as Well as Incitement to Ethnic Hate by Mr. Bayo Onanuga”,  asked the ICC and the Office of the prosecutor to conduct an investigation into series of ethnically motivated violence which resulted in injuries and death during Nigeria’s  presidential and governorship elections.

According to Professor Christian, Onanuga had issued  threat on Twitter which warned individuals from Nigeria’s  Igbo ethnic group that 2023 should be the last time they would be interfering in Lagos politics.

He said that promoting attacks against individuals from a particular ethnic group residing in a particular area violated the international law.  Professor Christian said that the international community must, therefore, take action to prevent a repeat of such act and as well hold to account individuals involved in such international wrongdoing.

Professor Christian noted that the petition was brought Pursuant to Article 15 of the Rome Statute. “Pursuant to art.15 of the Rome Statute, please accept this communication to the International Criminal Court (the Court) requesting the Office of the Prosecutor to conduct an investigation into series of ethnically motivated violence resulting in injuries and death during the just concluded Presidential and Governorship elections in Nigeria, ]#” Professor Christian told the ICC.

What Professor Christian’s Petition Says About The Alleged Ethnic Hate Incitement By Onanuga: 

“The European Union Election Observer Mission in Nigeria which observed both elections, in their interim report on 20th March 2023 noted multiple incidents of ‘organised violent attacks’ which resulted in ‘many casualties and fatalities.

“These incidents where the results of incitement to ethnic hatred by Nigerian politicians and their agents, who actively (directly and indirectly) incited groups of individuals to inflict harm on other individuals from a targeted ethnic group (the Igbo) as well as individuals who ‘look like’ people from that ethnic group.

“It is on record that prior to the elections, very influential individuals and politicians especially in Lagos, had publicly warned members of the Igbo ethnic group in Nigeria not to show up to exercise their constitutional rights to vote.

“While this complaint is not strictly about the deprivation of that right (which admittedly this Court has no jurisdiction), it is evident that in an effort to deprive members of this ethnic group of their right to vote, these politicians and influential individuals incited ethnic hate that resulted in ‘many casualties and fatalities’ to individual from the Igbo ethnic group including those who ‘looked like them. Mr. Bayo Onanuga was clearly one of such persons.

“Following the completion of the governorship election Nigeria in which individuals from the Igbo ethnic group and others who ‘looked like them’ suffered ‘many casualties and fatalities’ especially in Lagos, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, a very influential journalist turned politician and now Director of Media and Publicity in ruling political party’s presidential campaign organisation issued a threat on Twitter warning individuals from the Igbo ethnic group that 2023 should be the last time they will be interfering in Lagos politics.

“Mr. Onanuga’s concept of interference arose from the legitimate act by individuals from the Igbo ethnic group in Lagos in exercising their constitutional right to vote anywhere in Nigeria. This statement was issued after individuals from this ethnic group have been attacked and killed in Lagos during the governorship election. The attacks continued after Mr. Onanuga’s tweet.

“What is more disturbing about Mr. Onanuga’s tweet is the threat of future harm to individuals from the Igbo ethnic group in future elections in 2027,” the petitioner said, and also attached a copy of Onanuga’s alleged tweet which he claimed has been viewed over 5.5 million times.

“Mr. Onanuga is a well-educated journalist and a prominent member of the ruling political party. His conduct in inciting ethnic hate, which fuelled election and post-election violence against individuals from the specific ethnic group, who were the target of his incitement needs to be investigated to prevent a repeat of what happened in Rwanda and Burundi in the 90s.

“Promoting attacks against individuals from a particular ethnic group residing in a particular area is a clear violation of international law. That violation falls within the jurisdiction of this Court, and the international community must not only take action to prevent such acts from reoccurring but should also hold to account individuals involved in such international wrongdoing.

“I, therefore, request this Court to investigate the conduct of Mr. Onanuga and other individuals in Nigeria, who directly and indirectly organised, incited, aided and abated the ethnically motivated election and post-election violence in Nigeria and take appropriate action to hold them responsible for their actions. This will prevent future conducts that will breach rules of international law.”

 

 


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